TMNT: Holding On
by Sesshomarusama3
Summary: (This is a One-Shot fic that takes place during Into Dimension X, and is also a little bit of an AU.) There was a small window of opportunity, a single, precise moment, in which everything could go right, or come crashing down in flames. All Mikey had to do was seize that window in exactly the right place, at exactly the right time. Out here, he was on his own. (I OWN NOTHING)


**A/N: This idea for a One-Shot came shortly after watching Into Dimension X on the website, and also watching Spider-Man 2 a few weeks before.**

**A little bit of an AU as well.**

**I OWN NOTHING. THE LYRICS FROM THE SONG CHANDELIER, SPIDER MAN AND TMNT DO NOT BELONG TO ME.**

**Enjoy!**

**TMNT: Holding On**

* * *

_I'm gonna swing from the chandelier_

_I'm gonna live like tomorrow doesn't exist,_

_I'm gonna fly like a bird through the night, feel my tears as they dry_

_I'm gonna swing from the chandelier…_

* * *

If there was anything that Michelangelo had learned from just how long he'd spent living inside this demented dimension that the Kraang called home, it was that timing was _everything_.

He knew how long he had to wait until it was safe enough to leave the crevice he'd created for himself in one of the floating asteroids, and then stock up on supplies for the night. And even though there was no sun or moon to tell him what time of the day it was, he knew exactly when it was time to hide, before the nightmarish creatures that lurked within the shadows came out for the hunt. He even knew when the perfect time came to squeeze the little squishy 'web-worm' creatures and then swing from the different asteroids that floated around in this empty space.

There was always a small window of opportunity, a single, _precise _moment, in which anything and everything could go right, or come crashing down in flames. All Mikey had to do was seize that window in _exactly_ the right place, at _exactly_ the right time.

He'd learned the hard way that in this dimension, there was no second chance. There was no going back and doing it again until he got it right. There was no Donatello to go to and ask for help to fix it. No Raph to slap him upside the head for screwing it up again. And there was no Leonardo to pat him on the shoulder and tell him that he would do better next time.

Out here, until he finally managed to break out Leatherhead from wherever the Kraang were keeping him, he was on his own.

He remembered with a sad smirk how he'd been when he first got here. He thought he could find and save Leatherhead within same time it took for him to eat a whole pizza, and then be back home to boast to his brothers about just how awesome he was. But of course, as soon as he'd leapt through the portal and landed on his face on a floating asteroid, and then chased for what felt like hours by those weird ball aliens that he _still _couldn't find the right name for, he found out just how wrong he was.

He'd been so scared back then. He just ran and leapt as far and as fast as he could to find a place he could hide. And once he was hidden, he'd curled up on the floor and cried. He cried for what felt like an hour, wishing his brothers would come and find him, bring him home and then scold him for being so stupid.

But the longer he waited, the quicker he realized that they weren't coming any time soon.

But he didn't let that bring him down. They couldn't have just abandoned him; they were better than that, and he knew it. They were brothers, and they loved each other more than they could say. Maybe after he jumped through, the portal had shut down, and Donnie was just trying to fix it.

So Mikey held on. And he would continue to hold on.

They were coming for him eventually. Until then, he had to keep on fighting, keep on learning, and keep on searching for Leatherhead until they did.

Which was why when he saw his brothers screaming and flailing about in terror, running for their lives from the Rocktopus, that he'd been both delighted, slightly ticked off, and then afraid all at once as he leapt in to save them.

Now here they were, after a crazy few minutes of explaining, jumping, more explaining and then _more_ jumping, crouching behind the explosive crystals as they gazed at the Kraang facility that would get them all out of here together. And he prayed that this time, he would be able to save Leatherhead.

But despite his hopes, despite how happy he was to see his big brothers again after months of isolation, he knew he couldn't get those hopes too high. There would always be a possibility, a single second, in which everything could go wrong. He had to make sure to remember everything he'd learned and protect his brothers.

But of course, they were so used to protecting _him _and telling _him _what to do and what not to do that they completely ignored him, and charged the two stone generals anyway.

At first, he'd only rolled his eyes, thinking about how stupid they were being. But then it got worse. Leo was grabbed by Traag, his arms pinned above his head as he dangled from the creatures' grip, kicking helplessly.

"PUT HIM **_DOWN_**!" he screeched threateningly.

To his horror, however, they both looked to each other and seemed to share some kind of twisted agreement. Then Tragg flung Leo, tossing the screaming blue clad turtle towards the very edge of the floating platform.

Eyes going wide, Mikey acted fast, sprinting over to where Leo was already slipping over the edge, and within a millisecond, Mikey fired the alien web-shooter and caught Leo around the wrist.

Mikey blew a sigh of relief. He'd only fallen a few feet from the platform, so he was nowhere near in danger of falling and hitting the deadly force-field that lay below. Any contact with that electric barrier would mean instant death by incineration. Mikey had seen it happen to countless other unfortunate creatures before.

He'd been just in time.

Leo let out a startled cry as the web jerked, and he simply dangled there, held only by a sticky alien web that was attached to his wrist. It was only a few minutes ago that they'd been tripping over the effects of gravity here, and now he was falling because gravity suddenly decided to try and kill him? Donnie was right; this dimension sucks!

He looked up at Mikey, and let out a startled breath that sounded like a laugh and a relieved sigh. "Thanks, Mikey," he breathed with a smile. Though he was still slightly petrified, Leo felt pride for Mikey in that moment. In fact, watching him do what he did, looking at what he'd become, he couldn't be prouder.

Still, he felt a little tug at his heart strings to see that his baby brother was growing up already, and without him no less.

Keeping a firm hold on the web-alien, Mikey grinned down at him. "No problem, bro! But next time, you gotta listen me!" he teased.

His smile dropped and he turned around as Tragg and Granitor came running for them again. Mikey narrowed his eyes angrily, acting fast as he stuck the web-shooter onto one of the explosive power crystal trees. He didn't have time to pull Leo up without getting smacked over the edge himself, and Raph and Donnie were still trying to distract the giants and keep them away from them.

He looked back down at his brother, still hanging below and looking back up at him with a mixture of confusion and slight fear of falling, despite the secure grip of the web around his wrist. "Stay right there, Leo! I'll be _right _back!" he shouted down, and then leapt back to face off the stone giants.

He couldn't restrain the smirk when he heard Leo deadpan, "Like I really have a _choice!_"

So after he'd rescued both Raph and Donnie (again), Mikey fought them off. He did everything right, and he'd timed everything perfectly, just as he'd rammed into his brain over a hundred times over the past few months of his stay here in Dimension X. It seemed as though that maybe he was overreacting earlier; yes, this world was a dangerous place, but here, Mikey could do things that his older brothers couldn't.

He was strong enough now. He could take these guys down himself without breaking a sweat, and save everybody. He knew he could do it!

The ground trembled beneath them as the stone generals toppled over once, and from the other side of the platform, Mikey head Leo let out a shout. "Mikey! You think you can take care of them without causing an earthquake over here?!" he cried, his voice ringing with irritation.

"Sorry, Leo!" Mikey called back, bouncing away from Tragg's oncoming fist with ease. "I'm almost done here, bro!"

But as he knocked the two creatures over the edge of the platform at last, he landed on his feet and turned…and then his eyes widened as he immediately realized his mistakes, but he was already too late.

"_Mikey!"_

He'd forgotten that Tragg and Granitor had fallen off the edge that Leo was hanging off of.

And worse, he'd also forgotten that the first instinct that pulsed through you when you were falling was to grab onto something to stop your fall.

So Tragg tried to grab onto the unstable platform.

And the other three turtles could do nothing but watch in horror as the platform crumbled in Tragg's grip, and he fell. And he took Leo with him.

Leo let out a shout of terror as the web-worm attached to his wrist came loose from its hold on the power crystal, snapping off his wrist and then sent him falling helplessly into the empty space after Tragg and Granitor and large, crumbling fragments of rock as they all tumbled towards the force-field below.

"**_LEO!" _**the three turtles shrieked as they ran towards the edge of the platform. Without thought or warning, Mikey snatched Donnie's web-worm from his hands, and then taking his own from his belt as he launched himself over edge, angling himself so that he was falling head first after his older brother.

Time seemed to slow to a tormenting crawl as the two turtles fell through the empty abyss.

He had to catch him. He had to time this _just right_, or they would both fall against the force-field and die.

There was no room for mistakes now.

It was time to really put what he'd learned to the ultimate test.

Then the two turtles locked blue eyes for what seemed like an eternity.

Mikey saw fear in Leo's eyes as he fell. Mikey hated that. Leo was supposed to be his big, strong leader and brother, a pillar of strength and reassurance for him. But now, there was only the fear of death, the fragile look in his eyes that reminded him of an innocent, scared child that was afraid of the dark.

But there was also something else in those ocean blue eyes. Something that he knew would haunt him for as long as he lived.

There was a sense of _knowing_ in his eyes. It was almost as if Leo _knew_ that…that he was going to die?

…that Mikey wasn't going to get him in time?

No! Mikey _wouldn't_ let that happen! He _couldn't_!

Mikey would save him before they fell into the abyss forever. He _knew_ he could! The old Mikey wouldn't have been able to, but _this _Mikey was smart enough, strong enough and fast enough now to do anything! He wasn't the stupid little screw up back on earth anymore! He could save his big brother!

He **_had _**to!

Pure fear and determination took over the young, orange clad turtle as he spun his body around, shooting one web-worm above him to latch onto the platform they'd fallen from, and then twisting back again, Mikey shot the second one down towards Leo, hitting the mark as the sticky substance attached itself to Leo's plastron. Mikey allowed himself a small grin of success.

Leo let out a shaking breath like a whisper of wind as the web hit his chest.

The webs snapped tight, and Leo's body jerked, his head snapping backwards as he hung there, suspended by the web line as they swayed from the momentum.

Mikey let out a quivering gasp as he beamed, tears pricking his eyes. He did it! He saved Leonardo, and he was only inches away from hitting the barrier!

He _knew _he could do it! Michelangelo, from this day forth, wasn't a screw up anymore!

Laughing from the adrenaline, Mikey turned his head to look up at Donnie and Raph, who were peering fearfully over the edge of the platform. "I got him!" he called up, "I got him, guys!"

His older brothers cheered. "Nice work, Mikey!" Donnie shouted, and then he pointed over to Mikey's right. "Get on that asteroid coming your way, and then when you're ready, meet us back up here! Then we can go and blow this Kraang joint!"

Mikey nodded. "Gotcha, D!" he replied, turning to where the asteroid was floating towards him. "Hold on, Leo! I got this!" he called down to his brother. Though he was a little surprised when he got no response.

Narrowing his eyes in concentration, Mikey waited until the time was just right before letting go of the web-alien and grabbing onto the moving rock, and then proceeded to hoist Leo up little by little. Though he noticed that Leo seemed a little heavier than he remembered; had he eaten something before he left?

Once he was within reach, Mikey grabbed Leo by his belt strap and pulled him up. "Dude, I totally caught you!" he laughed as he pulled him onto solid rock, "You should've seen your face, bro! And to think you doubted me for even – Leo?"

Mikey stopped and looked down at his older brother, who hadn't moved or spoke since Mikey had caught him. Maybe he'd just fainted from the shock…?

But if he'd fainted, then why wasn't he waking up already? And what was wrong with his neck –?

Mikey's eyes widened in horror, his blood running very, _very_ cold. He fell down to his knees, holding his brothers' upper half in his arms, ripping off the end of the web from his chest and cradling him like a child as he gazed down at his face. It was so peaceful, yet so daunting…and numb. His mouth was only slightly open, as if he was just sleeping and soundly dreaming…but Mikey felt no pulse, no familiar thump of a heart beneath his shell…

Swallowing thickly, and ignoring how cold his body suddenly became the longer he held him, Mikey gave Leo a little shake. "…Leo? Leo, you can wake up now, dude," he assured with a faltering smile. "S-stop pretending, man. Y-You're scaring me. _Leo_!"

He shook him again, and Leo's head rolled to the side limply.

Mikey's eyes widened. His neck shouldn't be able to do that…

No. No, no, no, no, no, this wasn't happening. He'd caught him before he hit the force-field. He was fine, he _should _be fine. The web –

_The web_.

The speed he was falling at, added by the strong, thick web latching onto his chest, and then the sudden jolt when the line had snapped taught…

_Whiplash._

Leo's neck had been snapped.

Mikey's timing had been off. When Mikey caught him, he had _snapped Leo's neck_.

No, that couldn't be true! Leo was fine! He was just temporarily knocked out, and he'd wake up anytime now!

Hyperventilating, Mikey ripped off the Kraang head from off his face, and with a quivering hand, he cupped Leo's cheek and turned his face. He couldn't be gone, he just _couldn't be gone_! "…L-Leo…wake up, buddy," he pleaded quietly, his voice trembling as a lump formed in his throat. Thick tears ran down his cheeks and dripped down onto Leo's cheeks.

The blue clad turtle didn't even stir.

"…Please, Leo…the guys are waiting for us up there…c-come on, you're okay, you're gonna be okay, just _wake up_," he begged, on the verge of sobbing. "I'm sorry I hurt you…please…stay with me….j-just hold on, big brother, _please __**stay with me**_!"

A thick blood trickled down from Leo's nose, mixing with the tears that dripped onto his cold face.

It was clear in that moment, as Mikey watched his brothers' blood flow, that he had been right.

Leonardo was dead.

Michelangelo had killed his own brother.

Letting out a sob, Mikey held Leo's body close, burrowing his tear stained face into his shoulder as the uncontrollable sobs wracked through him. "**_LEO!_**" he screamed into his shoulder.**_ "_**_Please, Leo! Don't leave me!" _

Mikey thought he was strong enough. He thought he was fast enough and smart enough to survive out here and protect his brothers. He thought he was better than the Mikey that had left earth.

But that was a lie.

He thought he had timed everything just right. He thought he had seized that window of time, and that everything would be alright.

But he was wrong.

He'd been too confident. He hadn't timed it right. And now Leo had to pay the price for his mistake.

He was no different than the scared, crying child he'd been when he first came to this dimension.

There was always a small window of opportunity, a single, precise moment, in which anything and everything could go right, or come crashing down in flames. And Mikey had failed to seize that window.

There was no second chance. There was no going back and doing it again until he got it right. There was no Donatello to go to and ask for help to fix it. No Raph to slap him upside the head for screwing it up again.

And now, because of him, there was no Leonardo to pat him on the shoulder and tell him that he would do better next time.

Ever again.

* * *

_And I'm holding on for dear life_

_Won't look down, won't open my eyes_

_Keep my glass full until morning light_

_Cause I'm just holding on for tonight_

_...  
_

_Help me, I'm holding on for dear life…_


End file.
